This invention relates to a support mechanism for a hood which covers a vehicle engine and other components of a vehicle, such as an agricultural or industrial vehicle.
It is known practice to use gas springs to support the hood of a vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor. However, gas springs are prone to failure as they wear out or lose their gas charge, and their force is variable as the temperature varies. Some known hood supports require a safety catch or a separate prop rod to hold a hood in a raised position. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a hood support mechanism which avoids the use of gas springs, and which does not require a safety catch or a prop rod.
An object of the present invention is to provide a hood support mechanism.
Another object is to provide such a hood support mechanism which avoids the use of gas springs.
Another object is to provide such a hood support mechanism which has a long life and which eliminates the need for a safety catch or separate prop rod.
These and other objects are achieved by this invention wherein a support mechanism supports a hood in a raised position with respect to a vehicle to which the hood is pivotally coupled. The support mechanism includes a pivotal lift rod coupled between the vehicle and the hood. The mechanism also includes a pair of arm members which are pivotally coupled to each other by a central pivot pin, and which are coupled between the vehicle and a central portion of the rod. A flat coil spring is coiled around the central pivot pin and is attached to the arm members. The spring is biased to pivot the hood upwardly. The lower end of the rod is anchored by a removable pivot pin, which, when removed, permits the hood to be raised approximately 90 degrees from it lowered position. With this support mechanism there is no gas spring, the coil spring has a long life and no safety catch or separate prop rod is required.